Texas Firefighter Injured After Falling Through Roof
Source Stephenville Empire-Tribune (Texas)
A volunteer firefighter is home resting after falling through the roof of a carport while fighting a house fire.
Crews were dispatched to a structure fire shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday on County Road 836 in Indian Hills, near Huckabay. Upon arrival they found smoke coming through the roof but no smoke in the residence.
Chris Gable, Erath County Volunteer Fire Rescue coordinator, said the eight units and more than 30 firefighters who arrived on scene made a hole in the roof and discovered flames in the attic. While fighting the blaze, a firefighter stepped back onto the tin roof of the carport and fell when the tin slid.
Gable said the man fell approximately eight feet onto the concrete floor. He was transported via ambulance to Texas Health Harris Methodist Stephenville where he was treated and released.
The fire is still under investigation, but Gable said it appears it started in the chimney.
"We were able to open up the roof and extinguish the flames in the attic," Gable said. "We've fought several fires this season that started around the chimney flues in older homes. I would recommend people using stoves and fire places have their chimneys checked before use each season to prevent these types of fires."
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